The city will not extend its rental assistance programs to individuals receiving Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH).
A limited pool of available funds would make such a move difficult, stated a report from Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) that was shared with city council on Monday.
Tasked in April with evaluating whether or not new changes in AISH allowances could allow those receiving it to be eligible for rental assistance, community and development co-ordinator Linda Knoblauch recommended no changes to the program.
"The program is based on developing an exit strategy for users to avoid creating a dependency on the program," Knoblauch told council Monday night. "The funding will run out."
Council accepted Knoblauch's recommendation by a 6-1 vote.
Effective April 1, the provincial government increased AISH allowances by $400 and doubled the income exemption for both single and family recipients. Single persons on AISH can now claim $800 a month before any total would be deducted from their paycheques.
The original motion to re-examine the criteria for the rental assistance program, specifically with regards to AISH recipients, was made by Coun. Cathy Heron, who was afraid such individuals were "falling through the cracks."
The problem, Knoblauch said, is people on AISH will receive it in perpetuity. If they were eligible for the rental assistance program as well, they were would be no exit strategy.
"With no viable exit strategy, they would become dependent on a source we cannot sustain," Knoblauch said. "Based on that information, we recommend council not change the rental assistance program."
Of note too, said Knoblauch, is the pool of money available. The rental assistance program originally received $1.2 million but as of March 31 had used $655,535. The funds came from the province and there are no indications of any renewed funding.
"What we came back to is making what were very difficult decisions," Knoblauch said.
Mayor Nolan Crouse was the lone council member not to vote in favour of the recommendation.
"All humans are equal, so I understand the recommendation but it somehow doesn't feel fair," Crouse said.
Housing model
Council also signed off on the proposed Affordable Housing Delivery Model, which will help create a city policy on how, where and for whom affordable housing is made available.
The report contains seven strategies recommended by administration to council, with the caveats that the city will need to provide some funding or financial incentive to encourage construction, and that no one strategy will increase the affordable housing market pool in St. Albert in isolation — they need to be considered as a whole.
"The ability to close gaps and develop solutions will be based on the city's priorities," said Lory Scott, the city's affordable housing liaison. "The proposed actions help co-ordinate with some recommendation in the community housing plan. Most of the recommendations can be undertaken with little or no cost."
Scott identified that, in the next five years, seniors will be the demographic most in need of affordable housing options.
"Their population has been increasing substantially since 2001," Scott said. "Also our young families, the population of younger people is reduced which means to attract younger residents into the city, we will need to provide lower-cost options."
One group that is not identified as in need of housing in the model is the homeless, a gap Knoblauch acknowledged.
"There are support services through the Community Village but those are minimal services with no formal support. It's simply outreach support," Knoblauch said.
She added the proposed social master plan currently being developed by the city would likely address the issue of homelessness.
